Air cooling system



Oct. 27, 1964 K. SCHUHMACHER 3,153,916

AIR coouuc SYSTEM Filed June 21, 1963 "(16 r 1271 a w, a j

9 Q- INVENTOR.

KARL SCHUHMAQHER 26 v United States Patent "Ice AIR COOLING SYSTEM Karl Schnhrnacher, Arhon, Switzerland, assignor to Adolph Saurer Ltd, Arhon, Switzerland Filed .iune 21, 1963, Ser. No. 289,705 Claims priority, application Switzerland, July 3, 1962,

4 Claims. (Cl. 62-402) This invention relates to air conditioning, and more particularly to air cooling systems for use in the cabins of passenger planes, as well as in the interior of automobiles and in the passenger quarters of railroad cars and ships.

if the space to be cooled is a plane cabin, for example, an auxiliary power source is required for the time when the plane engines are stopped, and this may serve for supplying power to the electric system, as well as for starting the main engines.

Systems of this type are known, wherein the fresh air intended to be supplied to the cabin is first compressed, then cooled with outside air, expanded in a cooling turbine, and finally supplied to the cabin. The used air is exhausted from the cooled cabin, without any utilization of its cooling capacity.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide an improved air cooling system, wherein the cooling capacity of used air exhausted from a cooled chamber such as a plane cabin or the interior or passenger quarters of other air or marine craft, or road or rail vehicles, is utilized in the cooling system to enhance its efiiciency as well as its economy.

Other objects, and the manner in which the same are attained, will become apparent as this specification proceeds.

The present invention contemplates an air cooling system comprising a cooling turbine, a blower driven by said turbine, 21 heat exchanger, and a compressor acting on the cooling turbine, wherein the air exhausted from the cooled space, passes through the cooling turbine, where it is expanded, into the primary portion of the heat exchanger which is connected with the compressor which must compensate for the pressure drop in the cooling turbine, and for the pressure losses in the supply lines and in the primary portion of the heat exchanger. The invention contemplates further that the supply of air to the space to be cooled, passes through the blower which is driven by the cooling turbine, and the secondary portion of the heat exchanger, wherein the fresh air to be supplied to the plane cabin, or similar space being cooled, is cooled below the temperature prevailing in the cabin. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the compressor is identical with the compressor component of a gas turbine plant. The compressor, however, may also be driven by an extraneous power source.

In the drawing accompanying this specification and forming part thereof, an embodiment of the invention is shown diagrammatically by way of example, and with purely illustrative rather than Iirm'tative intent.

In the drawing,

FIG. 1 is a thoroughly diagrammatic showing of an air cooling system for plane cabins according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows the air cooling system according to FIG. 1, including additional components to permit a switchover from ground to flight operation, in the setting for ground operation, and

FIG. 3 shows the air cooling system of FIG. 2, with the setting changed for operation during flight.

Referring to the drawing, wherein like elements are denoted by identical reference numerals, and first to FIG. 1, the cooling system designed to cool the air supplied to the plane cabin 1 is seen to comprise essentially a 3,153,916 Patented Oct. 27, 1964 cooling turbine 2 which by means of a shaft 3, is positively connected with the blower 4; a heat exchanger 7 having a primary portion 6 and a secondary portion 5; a compressor 8, and supply and exhaust conduits interconnecting the several components of the air cooling system as described below in greater detail.

According to the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the compressor 8 which is connected with the exit of the primary portion 6 of the heat exchanger 7, may be identical with the compressor portion of a gas turbine plant; compressor 8, however, may also be driven by an extraneous power source.

An air supply conduit 9 leads to the suction side of blower 4 while a supply conduit 10 leads from the blower exit to the secondary portion 5 of the heat exchanger 7, the exit of which, in turn, is connected by a supply conduit 11, with the cabin 1. Excess air deriving from the blower 4- is passed by a conduit 12, to other destinations.

The cabin 1 is connected by an exhaust conduit 13, with the intake 14 of the cooling turbine 2. Expanded a r from the turbine 2 is passed through an exhaust conduit 15 to the primary portion 6 of the heat exchanger 7. As noted above, the exit of primary portion 6 of heat exchanger 7 is connected, by an exhaust conduit 16, with the compressor 8.

in the operation of the air cooling system according to FIG. 1, the blower 4- sucks in, through the inlet 9, outside air having a temperature of e.g. 40 C. and forces it, following compression accompanied by a rise in temperature to 42 C. through the conduit 10 into the secondary portion 5 of the heat exchanger 7 where the fresh air is cooled to about 16 C., and then conveyed through the conduit 11, to the cabin 1. The excess air, the temperature of which has been raised by about 2 C. in the blower 4, corresponding to the pressure losses in the secondary portion 5 of the heat exchanger 7 and in conduits 10 and 11, may be drained off through conduit 12 and utilized for other purposes.

Cabin 1 with a room temperature of about 25 C. is connected through conduit 13 with intake 14 of the cooling turbine 2 wherein air deriving from cabin 1 is expanded so its temperature drops to about 10 C. The air thus expanded and cooled is conveyed through conduit 15, to primary portion 6 of heat exchanger 7 Where it is heated to about 36 C. The primary portion s of the heat exchanger 7 is connected with the compressor 3 for the purpose noted above.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, these figures illustrate the preferred embodiment of the invention wherein compressor 8 forms part of a gas turbine aggregate 18, and shut-off valves 19 and 2%, three-way valves 21 and 22, and check valves 23, 24, and 25, are provided to switch over from ground operation (FIG. 2), when the plane engines are not operating, to flight operation (FIG. 3) when the plane engines operate.

As shown in FIG. 2, when the plane engines are to be started, the shut-off valve 20 must be turned to bridge the cooling system, so the entire power output of the gas turbine plane 18, is available for starting the plane engines.

Once the plane engines operate, the valves 19, 2t), 21, and 22 are turned to the positions shown in FIG. 3 where the air cooling system according to the invention is efiective in cooling the hot and highly compressed air deriving from the power plant and entering the valve 20, in the heat exchangers 26 and 7, whereupon the air thus cooled is further expanded and cooled in the cooling turbine 2 and then conveyed to the cabin 1, from Where, once it has yielded its cold content in the heat exchanger 7, it passes through valve 19, into the open.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the details of construction, design and operation shown and described, as modifications of the invention embraced within the scope of the appended claims, and involving n departure from the spirit of the invention nor sacrifice of the advantages thereof, may occur to workers in this field.

I claim:

1. An air cooling system for cooling the passenger quarters of vehicles and the like, comprising in combination an exhaust conduit for used air having several parts, a cooling turbine adapted to expand the used air, a first part of said exhaust conduit disposed to supply used air to said cooling turbine, a heat exchanger, said heat exchanger including primary and secondary portions, a second part of said exhaust conduit connecting said cooling turbine with one end of said primary heat exchanger portion, a compressor, and a third part of said exhaust conduit connecting the other end of said primary heat exchanger portion with said compressor, and a supply conduit for fresh air having several parts, a blower, said blower being arranged to be driven by said cooling turbine, a first part of said supply conduit disposed to supply fresh air to said blower, a second part of said supply conduit connecting said blower with one end of said secondary heat exchanger portion, and a third part of said supply conduit connecting the other end of said secondary heat exchanger portion with the quarters to be cooled, whereby the cold content of the used air exhausted from the cooled quarters is utilized to cool the fresh air supplied to said quarters, below the temperature prevailing in said quarters.

2. An air cooling system for cooling the passenger quarters of vehicles and the like, comprising in combination an exhaust conduit for used air having several parts, a cooling turbine adapted to expand the used air, a first part of said exhaust conduit disposed to supply used air to said cooling turbine, a heat exchanger, said heat exchanger including primary and secondary portions, a second part of said exhaust conduit connecting said cooling turbine with one end of said primary heat exchanger portion, a compressor, and a third part of said exhaust conduit connecting the other end of said primary heat exchanger portion with said compressor, and a supply conduit for fresh air having several parts, a blower, said blower being arranged to be driven by said cooling turbine, a first part of said supply conduit disposed to supply fresh air to said blower, a second part of said supply conduit connecting said blower with one end of said secondary heat exchanger portion, and a third part of said supply conduit connecting the other end of said secondary heat exchanger portion with the quarters to be cooled, whereby the cold content of the used air exhausted from the cooled quarters is utilized to cool the fresh air supplied to said quarters, below the temperature'prevailing in said quarters, said compressor being the compressor component of a gas turbine aggregate, said vehicle including engines, said gas turbine aggregate being an auxiliary power plant for supplying power to said vehicles when the engines are stopped, and for supplying power to said engines for starting purposes.

3. An air cooling system for cooling the passenger quarters of vehicles and the like, comprising in combination an exhaust conduit for used air having several parts, a cooling turbine adapted to expand the used air, a first part of said exhaust conduit disposed to supply used air to said cooling turbine, a heat exchanger, said heat exchanger including primary and secondary portions, a second part or" said exhaust conduit connecting said cooling turbine with one end of said primary heat exchanger portion, a compressor, and a third part of said exhaust conduit connecting the other end of said primary heat exchanger portion with said compressor, and a supply conduit for fresh air having several parts, a blower, said blower being arranged to be driven by said cooling turbine, a first part of said supply conduit disposed to supply fresh air to said blower, a second part of said supply conduit connecting said blower with one end of said secondary heat exchanger portion, and a third part of said supply conduit connecting the other end of said secondary heat exchanger portion with the quarters to be cooled, whereby the cold content of the used air exhausted from the cooled quarters is utilized to cool the fresh air supplied to said quarters, below the temperature prevailing in said quarters, and means for driving said compressor.

4. An air cooling system for cooling the passenger quarters of vehicles and the like, comprising in combination an exhaust conduit for used air having several parts, a cooling turbine adapted to expand the used air, a first part of said exhaust conduit disposed to supply used air to said cooling turbine, a heat exchanger, said heat exchangertincluding primary and secondary portions, a second part of said exhaust conduit connecting said cooling turbine with one end of said primary heat exchanger portion, a compressor, and a third part of said exhaust conduit connecting the other end of said primary heat exchanger portion with said compressor, and a supply conduit for fresh air having several parts, a blower, said blower being arranged to be driven by said cooling turbine, a first part of said supply conduit disposed to supply fresh air to said blower, a second part of said supply conduit connecting said blower with one end of said secondary heat exchanger portion, and a References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,561,633 Palmer July 24, 1951 2,585,570 Messinger Feb, 12, 1952 2,767,561 Seeger Oct. 23, 1956 2,930,205 Walker Mar. 29, 1960 2,963,879 De Paravicini Dec. 13, 1960 

1. AN AIR COOLING SYSTEM FOR COOLING THE PASSENGER QUARTERS OF VEHICLES AND THE LIKE, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION AN EXHAUST CONDUIT FOR USED AIR HAVING SEVERAL PARTS, A COOLING TURBINE ADAPTED TO EXPAND THE USED AIR, A FIRST PART OF SAID EXHAUST CONDUIT DISPOSED TO SUPPLY USED AIR TO SAID COOLING TURBINE, A HEAT EXCHANGER, SAID HEAT EXCHANGER INCLUDING PRIMARY AND SECONDARY PORTIONS, A SECOND PART OF SAID EXHAUST CONDUIT CONNECTING SAID COOLING TURBINE WITH ONE END OF SAID PRIMARY HEAT EXCHANGER PORTION, A COMPRESSOR, AND A THIRD PART OF SAID EXHAUST CONDUIT CONNECTING THE OTHER END OF SAID PRIMARY HEAT EXCHANGER PORTION WITH SAID COMPRESSOR, AND A SUPPLY CONDUIT FOR FRESH AIR HAVING SEVERAL PARTS, A BLOWER, SAID BLOWER BEING ARRANGED TO BE DRIVEN BY SAID COOLING TURBINE, A FIRST PART OF SAID SUPPLY CONDUIT DISPOSED TO SUPPLY FRESH AIR TO SAID BLOWER, A SECOND PART OF SAID SUPPLY CONDUIT CONNECTING SAID BLOWER WITH ONE END OF SAID SECONDARY HEAT EXCHANGER PORTION, AND A THIRD PART OF SAID SUPPLY CONDUIT CONNECTING THE OTHER END OF SAID SECONDARY HEAT EXCHANGER PORTION WITH THE QUARTERS TO BE COOLED, WHEREBY THE COLD CONTENT OF THE USED AIR EXHAUSTED FROM THE COOLED QUARTERS IS UTILIZED TO COOL THE FRESH AIR SUPPLIED TO SAID QUARTERS, BELOW THE TEMPERATURE PREVAILING IN SAID QUARTERS. 